Article 2 - (1) This Directive applies to all currently registered students of METU Northern Cyprus Campus provided that they regularly pay the annual Health Contribution.

(2) Special students, students enrolled in distance learning programs, and students on semester-long leave of absence from the University for any reason are not included within the scope of this Directive.

Basis

Article 3 - (1) Pursuant to the Turkish Higher Education Act, this Directive has been drawn up based upon Article 40 of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Act 60/2003, known as the Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus Foundation, Mission, Operation and Supervision Act.

Definitions of Terms

Article 4 - (1) Wherever in this Directive the below terms appear, they shall be taken to refer to the following:

Article 5 – (1) The Health Center is the first place that students should contact whenever they need health care. Students within in the scope of this directive receive medical examination, tests and treatment within the bounds of the facilities available in the Health Center. When deemed necessary, the Health Center is entitled to issue medical report for students.

(2) All students are required to present their student ID cards when applying for the health care services. “Student Certificate” provided by the Office of the Registrar shall enable students who have not yet obtained/have lost their ID cards to use health care services by the time their ID cards are issued/reissued.

(3) The Health Center is entitled to take measures deemed necessary to protect public health, provide free services of medication and vaccination against epidemic diseases to all students.

(4) The cost of medicines that are included in the list approved by the Campus Presidency and prescribed by the Health Center doctors is covered by the Campus fund, by following the procedures set out by the Office of the Secretary General.

Referral to the TRNC Health Care Institutions

Article 6 – (1) Students who are not eligible for public health care of TRNC, or do not possess a valid health insurance, have to purchase the Health Insurance offered by the TRNC Ministry of Health to students of higher education institutions.

(2) The Health Center refers students to the public health care institutions in the TRNC in cases when further care is deemed necessary.

(3) In case of emergency, students are transferred from the Campus to the health care institution, either by the ambulance provided by the TRNC Ministry of Health, or by transportation provided by the Campus.

(4) Students may directly consult the hospitals and health centers of the TRNC Ministry of Health to benefit from the health care services provided within the framework of the Ministry’s Health Insurance.

(5) The Campus does not cover the cost of those health care services (including medication/diagnosis/treatment/hospitalization) offered to students at the TRNC health care institutions that are not eligible for coverage under the health insurance by the TRNC Ministry of Health

Non-Covered Services

Article 7 – (1) The Health Center offers health care services to students’ dependents (spouses and children) as far as possible. However, prescription and transportation costs of students’ dependents are not covered by the Campus.

Reporting the Admission of Students to the Health Center for Medical Examination, Test and Treatment

Article 8 – (1) The Health Center draws up a “Student Health Examination Report”, upon request of the student.

(3) This report is intended to serve solely as a report of student’s status, and is not a a medical report.

(4) If the student submits this report to the academic unit or the course instructor, decision pertaining to the request of the student t is rendered by the academic unit or the instructor.

Validity of Medical Reports

Article 9 – (1) The following medical reports are considered valid:

a) Medical reports issued by the Health Center;

b) Medical reports issued in accordance with the governing Law and rules and regulations of the TRNC;

c) Medical reports issued by the hospitals and other health care institutions recognized by the Social Security Institution of Republic of Turkey;

d) Medical reports issued by the authorized hospitals and health care institutions in the countries excluding the TRNC and Republic of Turkey;

(2) In order for the relevant academic and administrative units of the Campus process a medical report issued outside the Health Center, it should be forwarded to the Health Center within a maximum of five workdays following the expiry date, otherwise the medical report is considered invalid.

(3) All medical reports other than those issued by the Health Center will serve as an absence excuse/a missed examination excuse only if the certified student previously has consulted the Health Center due to the health issue in question and has been referred to the other health institutions for further care. Medical reports issued at emergency are exempted from this regulation with the consent of the Health Center.

Processing of the Medical Reports

Article 10 – (1) Medical reports issued by the Health Center are forwarded to the Directorate of Student Affairs by the Health Center within two workdays following the date of issue.

(2) If the medical report is issued outside the Health Center, the Health Center may request the original medical report and the test results. The student may also be called to the Health Center for medical examination.

(3) All medical reports other than those issued by the Health Center are forwarded to the Directorate of Student Affairs by the Health Center within two workdays following the date of submission to the Health Center or from the date of delivery of additional medical documentation requested by the Health Center.

(4) The Directorate of Student Affairs forwards all information concerning the medical report to the relevant academic unit and to the course instructors within two workdays.

(5) Procedures regulating the use of a valid medical report to serve as an excuse for absenteeism or a missed exam are as follows:

a) For students in English Preparatory classes, the rules specified by the School of Foreign Languages (SFL) will apply.

b) For other students, medical reports will serve as an excuse for absenteeism. It is at the discretion of the relevant instructors to decide how to make-up the missed exams.

(6) Regulations related to “I” grade, as identified in the relevant directive, will apply to students having a valid medical report at the time of a final exam.

(7) There are no make-up exams for the English Proficiency Exam administered by the School of Foreign Languages.

Semester-long Leave of Absence due to Medical Reasons

Article 11 – (1) Students can take leave of absence for medical reasons for one semester as long as they meet the requirements set out in the relevant directory/regulation.

(2) Student who wishes to apply for a semester-long medical leave of absence is required to submit a petition to the Head of the relevant Academic Board, together with the medical report covering a minimum of one-third of the academic semester.

(3) In case doubt arises regarding the nature and/or the duration of the medical reports issued by other health care institutions, the Head of the relevant Academic Board consults the Health Center to clarify the situation.

(4) The Health Center will provide a report to the Head of the relevant Academic Board, detailing whether the student has consulted the Health Center about the health issue in question before, and if so, the dates of her/his appointments and the Health Center doctors’ opinions pertaining to the student’s request for a leave of absence for a semester.

(5) Decision regarding semester leave of absence is rendered by the relevant Academic Board, in accordance with the regulations/Directives concerned.